Automatic air-brake coupling for railway-cars.



PATENTED MAY 14. 1987.

. P. H. RUTHERFORD.

' AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 17, 1908.

ALF/ZaZ/zarfrd Jran Jiffy.

No. 858,424. PATBNTED MAY 14. 1907 F. H. RUTHERFORD.

AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE GOBPLING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLIUATIOII TILED SEPT. 17, 1906.

2 SHBBTB BHBBT 2.

UNITED sfm rns im rnufr oninon FRANK ll. .liUTil'lCllFORD, 01! ()lllGAUO,ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC AIR-BRAKE COUPLING Fol? RAILWAY-CARS.

lg whom it- 'nmy nrnnpfillb:

llo ii. known that I, FRANK II. llu'rm-mo, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and o nflltllllli of Chicago, in the county of Cook and Sumoflllluois, have invented a-oerta-in our and useful lmprovonunt inAutumn-tie Air-Broke Couplers for Railway-Cora, of which tho followingis a full, clear, and exam ,prcilimdion.

My invention relates to automatic coupl rs for i-hc pipe-lines ofrailway-curs, and its ohjoot, hosulos accomplishing those usual humtionsfor which itis intended, is to so comical. the same to the ear, or totho drawlmr of the car, that the twist of the some duri ng engagement isreduced to a minimum.

Another objectis to so construct and dispose of the spring forautomatically returning it to its normal position, that the present-o ofsaid spring will not interfere with any part of the car. This I accom)lish lug-the moans hereinafter fully described and as parliculorlypointed out in the claims.

In the draxvlngfl-Figure 1 is a side w'ew oi the ends of two carscoupled together, and having my improved automatic con 31ers appliedthereto. F ig. 2 is a frontrnci View of my improvements detached fromtheour and with its engaging head broken away. Fig. 3 is a. roar end View,showing a. portion of the ahutiing spring broken away. Fig. 4; is a.side view of my invention attached to the end of a car, and disengaged.Figs. 5,6, 7, S. and 9, are views of details of my invention.

Referring to the drawin s, A represents acoupler-head of any suiufiileconstruction, having a. waistof narrower proportions consisting of a bar(1 extending rcarwardly thoroirom in alincment with its axis. The run-rend of this bar a enters the apex of and, prefly, extends centrallythrough if conicalshapod bod B, which latter passes through and issealed in a suilalxle opening 0 in a hunger C secured to and dependingfrom the underside of the drmwhm' of the regular rarc'oupier 1'). Thobody B attains its greatest duunotor hack of the hunger C. and its rearend is provided with a. circumferential flange exceeding in diameter theopening c of the mugor C, and provides an annular shouldrr that bearsforward against the hanger under lilioiont. pressure to keep the eouplorin a. gzonlal position. Tho waist of the coup- {S providod wit-ho halla, consisting of a horizontal piece of metal with downturnml undosecured thereto, and the weight of the Specification of Letters Patent.Applicatlas filed Suptemlwr 17, B306. Burial Ho.

Patented May 14,1961 834.008.

forward 0nd of the coupler is RilSiilllHt'tl hy one or moro links 1'],snspvodod from tho [u1'- word 0nd of a. ln'iurlct't 1* whose r01 1' rodis I soeurod to tho hongvr, substantially as 1 shown. These linlts alsoprevent, tho unlomnliio onuplor from twisliog on its axis to any great;extent, when hroogld. into ongngomom. This tomloncy oi lho coupler isalso rosislvd hyprm'idiug tho shouldvr made by tho ilaugo d withforwardly projecting equidistant touonsf. f. that enter cm'rospomlugly-shaped radial rcoosscsf, f, made in tho mnrgioal portion of therear facp of tho hnngor {2, surrounding opening c.

My improvrd automatic coupior is kept. nornmllv at. the limit of itsforward movo- Inent hy tho pressure brought to hear against. its rearend by a comparatively powrrl'ul spring G, which is slightly C-slmprzl,and has I its uppor down-turnml and secured, proforablv, to the rear ofhunger 1. above opohm c, am its lower upturned and g pressing orwardagainst the rrnr'eu-d of tho rouplvr. Theroupler is designed to tiltupward or downward, and to he capable of a slight.- luterulohliquityi'nordrr tomeetthe oxigom'ios of its use. In ordrr, therefore, to permitthis, I convex the rear coupler and )rovido the center tlmrruf with asomewhat hemispherical boss 71 .ngainst which the lower end of swing Gpresses. Extending reurwardh' and centrally from boss I: is ashortguido-har H which may he an extension of the bar (-onstituting thewaist of the coupler, or consist of a separate element. This uide-lmrextends through an o ouiog j in the adjacent and of spring G, w lich isshaped somewhat like the keyhole of on oldfashionod door-lork, toprovide passage and play for a fin J n'ojortin downward from saidguide-hm ll. This in limitsiho rotation or twist of the coupling duringits ouguge maul and while pushed back to surh position that thetrnonsfarc out of ongagmnont with recr'ssosf' The rear extremity ofguide-bar II is provided with n boss I, which is secured in plat-o by usuilnhle nut or other moons, and has its solo next the springnuulmhomlspherical. The 0nd of spring G, luz'nl'cd hei tween lmssos hand l, is free to adjust itself to the. positions into which it nun movewit l1- onf. binding, which it might do if said bosses presumed a flatongaging surhu-e thorn-lo.

do not, wish to ho couliuvd to tho uxuct shapo or oven the position ofspring (i, on shown, us it could be disposed horizontally, if

end of the body of the desirable. This kind of a sprintf. madu ol" llalimaterial, enables me to grcnlly economize spare hack of the hanger. andcombine the lune-lions of means for guiding the eoupler and preventingunlimited rolirtion on its axis nml means for returning it to its normalposilion.

What I claim as now is:--

1. lho combination wit-h a ear-coupler of an automatic air-brake couplercomprising a longitudimdly Yielding body sup mrled by and movable withsaid ear-rouplrt', and a spring of llat Ina-1 eriul engaging andnormally keeping the. same at the. limitof its forward movement.

2. The combination with a car-coupler of an autonnttie air-brake rou\ler comprising a longilimlina-ll yielding holly supported b and movablewith said car-coupler, and a spring of llat material engaging the rearend ol said air-brake coupler and normally keeping the same at the limitof its forward movement.

3. The combination with a car-coupler of an automatic air-brake con zlcrcomprising a longitudinally yielding body sup mrtcd by and movable withsaid ear-coupier, and a spring of flat material one end of which ispermanently secured and the other and of which engages and normallykeeps said air-brake coupler at the limit of its forward movement.

4. The combination with a car-eon )ler of an automatic air-brake con)ler eon'lprising a longitudinally yielding body supported by andmovable with said car-coupler, and a spring of flat material one end ofwhich is permanently secured above the air-brake coupler and the otherend of which engages and normally keeps said coupler at the limit of itsforward movement.

5. An automatic coupler for the trainpipes of cars comprising alongitudinally yielding body, and a substantially G-shaped spring, oneend of which is permanentl secured independent of said coupler am theother end of which engages and normally keeps said coupler at the limitof its forward movement.

6. An automatic coupler for train- )ipes of cars comprising alongitudinally vie ding body, and having a guide-bar extcndim l'rom itsrear end, and a spring of flat material one end of which is permanentlysecured independently of said coupler, and the other end of whichpresses forward against said coupler and is provided with an openingthrough which said guide-bar extends.

7. An automatic coupler for the trainpipes of cars comprising a.longiuulinally yielding bod having a guide-bar ext-ending rearwurdlytherefrom, and a. sub.--:tanl-iallj 'C-shaprd spring one end of which ispermanentlv secured inde iendent. of said coupler, and t ie other end olwhich engages and normolly keeps said coupler at the limit ol its l withan forward movement, and is |ll'l|\'ltl('t guIdo-Inuopening throughwhich said lends.

S. An automatic coupler For the trainpipes of cars comprisin a lnllglllllllltully yielding body, and having a guidcdiar e tending l'rom ilsrear end which is provided with a lin, and a spring of llu-l.umtrria-loi end of which is wrtnaneutly secured iltdnpendenlly oi saidcoupler, and the other o t] of which presses forward against said conuml is provided with an, opening l-ln'ough which said guide-liar and itslin extends.

9. An automatic coupler for the train. yielding body having a guide-liarextending rearwardly therefrom which is provided with a fin, am asubstantially C-shapcd spring one end 01' which is permam-ntly securedindependent at said coupler, of which engages and normally keeps saidcoupler at the limit of its forward movement, and is provided with anopening through which said guide-bar and its lin extends.

10. An automatic coupler for the trainpipes' of cars comprising alongitudinally yielding body, and a flat spring adapted to guide t tomovements and normally keep said coupler at; the limit of its forwardmovement-i 11. An automatic coupler for train-pipes of cars comprising alongitudinally yielding body, and a flat spring adapted to guide thelongitudinal movement of said coupler, limit its rot-alive movementandnormally keep lllle same at the limit of its forward movement.

12. An automatic coupler for t-rain- Jipes fol-cars comprising alongitudinally yielding body, and a llat )ring having one and permanently secured independently oi said coupler and adapted to guide thelongitudinal movement 01' said coupler, limit its rotative movement, andnornntlly keep the same at the limit of its forward movement.

13. The combination with a car, a hanger dcpendix'ig from the endthereof having a suitable opening therein, and a bracket projecting fromsaid hanger, of an automatic coupler extending through said opening,means suspended from Sfl-ltl bracket for indepemlently supporting theforward and of said coupler, and a spring engaging the rear of saidcoupler and normally keeping the. same at; the limit ol its forwardmovement.

14. The. mmhinatiou with a car, a hanger de. wading l'rom theond thereofhaving a. suitab 0. opening therein, and a bracket project ing from saidhanger, of an automatic eoup li' extending through said opening, meanssuspended from said bracket for iiulependen l) supporting the forwardend ol said coupler. and a. substantially C-shapcd spring the up per endor Willt'lbltpermanently seolll'l'd independentl ol said coupler andengages thr rear end of said coupler and normally keep-'- ph-r I pipesof cars comprising a long|tmlinallrand. the other end the 51mm M thelimit oi its forward moveliug from said hunger, M an aniunmiie llnrextending through sand opening,

means suspended from said bracket for milei-mienfly supporting thef'nrwnrd end ni' mid coupler, and n, snhshi-nunlly cfliiflplll ring theupper end ni which is pernnv enlly secured indmwnziemiy ml said euupiermid engages the rear end of said euupier, guides lis longitudinalmovement, and nor umih' keeps the same at the iinnt of its ferwardmovement.

16. The combination with a car, a hanger de )ending from the end thereef having asuit- Ililifl opening therein, and a, bracket project-- ingfrom and hanger, of an automatic cuup- 10! extending through saidopening, means sus ended from said bracket for independent, supportingthe forward end of said coupler. and a substantially O'shaped spring theupper em] (if \vhiuh in perulmwntir secured imh-peiuientl u! saidnuuph'r mni engages the rem end of said unnpler. iimils the FIR-Miremove-menithereof, and nnrlmriiy keeps the same at [he limit, of itsforward movement.

17. The. oumhiimtion with 1!. cm and a, hanger de \ending Lin-refrainhaving mi upelv ing in its uwer emi, of an uutenmtie coupler eunsisfingui" nu engaging-beam, 8, rear eunieu lshared purtiun nr bmiy whiizhpasses through suii upening, and n mnrmver central portion or waistconnecting the hm, and a [hit spring min fled tu engage the rear end ofand nornmi 3' keep said coupler at. the limit of its forward In ovcmcnt.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th clay ofSeptmnber, A. 1)., 1906.

FRANK H. RUTI-IERI ORD.

Witnesses FRANK D. Tnmmson, E. K. Luxny.

